


Rate Your DADA Professors

by beaches_at_treasure_island



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: DADA Professors, Essays, Gen, Nonfiction, comparing and contrasting, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-03-16 06:05:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3477275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beaches_at_treasure_island/pseuds/beaches_at_treasure_island
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A comparison/contrast essay about Lupin and Umbridge as professors.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rate Your DADA Professors

Harry Potter is a widely known book series by J.K. Rowling about young witches and wizards who attend a magic school. Defense Against the Dark Arts is one of the required classes, and its teaching post is cursed by the antagonist, Voldemort. The position can only be held by one professor for one year at a time. Despite both teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professors Remus Lupin and Delores Umbridge differ in teaching methods, personalities and political views.

          Both Lupin and Umbridge have developed different teaching styles. Remus Lupin likes to teach his class in a hands-on sort of way. He likes students to dive in, and get their hands dirty. For instance, he threw his pupils into a fight with a generally harmless boggart for their first lesson. This was both a class field trip and practical experience. Also, he prefers to demonstrate to the class what they are learning. This is proven in the same class trip where he fights the boggart himself, albeit reluctantly, to "save" Harry only. On the other hand, Delores Umbridge prefers to teach without wands. She wants no imagination, no courage, and absolutely no truth. Speaking is prohibited, especially without a raised hand. The students are to read only, and are assigned multiple chapters at a time. If one of Umbridge's students annoy her or don't do as she dictates, she will assign him or her a detention with said Professor. It will start directly after dinner, and will end long past curfew. Her detentions consist of writing lines with a blood quill, an illegal writing device that uses the writer's blood as ink. It is painful, and after a few repeated lines, the cuts won't heal over. Instead, they begin to sink in and scar.

            Because of their backgrounds, Lupin and Umbridge sport different personalities. Although he is a werewolf, a magical creature reputed to be cruel and horrific, Remus Lupin does not embody the description of his disease. Lupin is hilarious, having been a master prankster in his own years at Hogwarts. Lupin is always respectful of his students, peers and colleagues. He always calls Dumbledore "Professor", "Headmaster" or "Sir". He talks to his pupils like they are adults and treats them that way, as well. Also, even though Lupin may enjoy and even promote jokes and other funny pursuits, he knows that there is a time and a place for immaturity. He is able to set such things aside when necessary. In contrast, Delores Umbridge is cruel. One example of such inhumanity is her blood quill detentions. She is psychotic, and when she is tricked into the Forbidden Forest, she has a mental breakdown. Umbridge acts like a child who is unable to get her way, and resorts to illegal methods of torture as a result.

          As a key point, Lupin and Umbridge entertain opposing views and side with conflicting groups during the Wars. Remus Lupin's political 'party' would be the Order of the Phoenix, a group of light wizards fighting against Voldemort's regime of darkness. The figurehead of the Order, its leader, is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Order of Merlin-First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. He started the Order during Lupin's years in Hogwarts, after Grindelwald was defeated. Remus Lupin, along with James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and Lily Evans, joined the Order to combat Voldemort and his followers. Lupin's allegiance to Dumbledore is second only to his loyalty to James' son, Harry. However, Delores Umbridge is a Ministry official. She is loyal exclusively to herself and the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. Fudge is an incompetent dunderhead who doesn't realize that Umbridge, under his nose, sent Dementors off to harm Harry Potter. Umbridge absolutely detests Potter and will do anything to eradicate him.

         Although Umbridge and Lupin are both Hogwarts professors for the DADA position, Lupin is a much better teacher. He takes into account his students and their wellbeing, whereas Umbridge is a cruel and unusual punishment for the students at Hogwarts. The boarding school is a much better place without the Ministry appointing people to spy for it in a private institution. Because Lupin is better in his style of teaching, his disposition, and how he sides politically, he is overall a better teacher, and a better person. It just goes to show that not all werewolves are savage, mindless beasts. 


End file.
